HE LONGER I LIVE, the more I become convinced of the importance of music. My colleague, Professor Wilfrid Jones, has pointed out that one’s body and soul enter into a unique state while singing. In other words, think about the last time you were singing resplendent choral music. Think about how your body, mind, and soul felt. My friends, this is truly a UNIQUE FEELING. I believe God intended for all people to learn to love great music: Guerrero, Sebastian Bach, Morales, Gregorian Chant, Duruflé, Mozart, Zoilo, Machaut, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Palestrina, Marenzio, and so many others.
Female Voice (1 of 3) • Every member of the human race should learn about music. That includes women. POPE SAINT PIUS X on 22 November 1903 published “Inter Pastoralis Officii” (the most comprehensive and far-reaching sacred music document of all time). That document said: “Singers in church have a real liturgical office; women, therefore, being incapable of exercising such office, cannot be admitted to form part of the choir.” We have already treated at length this topic, and I won’t repeat all that. The word choir in that document referred to the “clerical choir” which sat inside the sanctuary. POPE SAINT PIUS X never tried to ban women from singing the Mass propers; nuns in their convents had done this for centuries.
Female Voice (2 of 3) • However, many people erroneously believed POPE SAINT PIUS X banned women from singing during Mass. For example, Bishop Henry J. Althoff of Belleville (Illinois) declared in 1938: “Women organists should be replaced by men wherever possible; but where this isn’t possible the women organists are not to sing together with—or alternate with—the choir of men and boys. In this connection, religious sisters are no longer to function as organists for male choirs.” Monsignor Leo P. Manzetti (d. 1942) was referred to by newspapers as “one of the world’s greatest authorities on Gregorian music” and “an internationally known authority on the music of the Catholic Church.” Nevertheless, Msgr. Manzetti was guilty of the following horrifically halfwitted statement:
“From an artistic standpoint there are no parts of our chants and services that choirs of men and boys cannot perform to better advantage for the spiritual uplifting of the Christian mind. Church musicians, when experts in vocal art, agree that women’s voices are effeminate, sensuous, and operatic, hence un-churchly.”
Female Voice (3 of 3) • Consider the following ‘live’ recording from last Sunday. My choir consists 100% of volunteers—and only the female voices sang for this piece. Even though it has no accompaniment on the pipe organ, I think it’s captivating and powerful. [By the way, don’t use this particular melody during Lent if your congregation has strong German ancestry. In Germany, this tune is reserved for Christmas.]
Never Repeat • On our blog, we avoid RRR. That is to say, we never “Recycle” or “Regurgitate” or “Repeat” previously-released material. So everything you see on our blog is brand new. All the recordings I share with you are (quite literally) brand new. I don’t just “recycle” old recordings; nor do I “recycle” old articles. We feel that readers appreciate this. For example, the following was recorded last Sunday:
Preposterous Proposal: In September 1906, someone using the fake name of “Wigornia” published an article promoting ideas I consider cockamamie. Essentially, WIGORNIA was saying females could never sing in the choir, but it would be praiseworthy for them to spend a lifetime studying music so they could instruct others (while they remain excluded). Again, I find such an idea bonkers:
Who Could Argue? • Those who insist that POPE SAINT PIUS X banned women usually point to his words: “women, therefore, being incapable of exercising such office…” The reality is, Pius X always permitted nuns to sing the High Mass. Some object: “Well, if there’s nobody else to sing, women become capable.” But that shows such people don’t understand what the word ‘capable’ means. They are confused; they are not thinking clearly. For example, I’m incapable flying into the air by flapping my wings. I don’t suddenly become capable “if there’s nobody else willing to fly into the air…” On a purely aesthetic level, listen to the following ‘live’ recording starting at marker 0:33—aren’t the female voices beautiful?
Men + Women Blend • In a society with so many unwholesome activities that could be engaged in, I feel that men and women adoring God by means of song is something to be commended:
Female Soloist • Finally, consider the solo female voice (after the refrain) in the following video:
Doesn’t that young lady make a nice effect?
